School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, Turkey.
Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2019 Apr;188(2):344-352. doi: 10.1007/s12011-018-1436-5. Epub 2018 Jul 31.
Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants usually receive packed red blood cell unit (pRBC) transfusions. Heavy metal transfer via pRBCs is not widely discussed before. This study aimed to determine pre-/post-transfusion erythrocyte lead and mercury levels in infants and to correlate these levels to heavy metal concentrations in pRBCs. VLBW infants (n = 80), needing pRBC transfusion for the first time, were enrolled. Erythrocyte heavy metal levels were determined in pre-/post-transfusion blood samples and also in pRBC units. Mean lead and mercury levels in the pRBCs were found to be 16.3 ± 10.8 and 3.75 ± 3.23 μg/L, respectively. Of the infants, 69.7% received lead above reference dose. Erythrocyte lead levels increased significantly after transfusions (10.6 ± 10.3 vs. 13 ± 8.5, p < 0.05) with significant correlated to amount of lead within pRBCs (r = 0.28). Mean pre-/post-transfusion erythrocyte mercury levels were 3.28 ± 3.08 and 3.5 ± 2.83 μg/L, respectively (p > 0.05). There was a significant correlation between mean difference of mercury levels after transfusion and amount of mercury delivered by pRBCs (r = 0.28). Infants can be subject to high levels of lead and mercury through pRBC transfusions.
极低出生体重（VLBW）婴儿通常接受浓缩红细胞单位（pRBC）输血。pRBC 中转铁蛋白的重金属转移之前并未广泛讨论。本研究旨在确定婴儿输血前后红细胞中的铅和汞水平，并将这些水平与 pRBC 中的重金属浓度相关联。首次需要接受 pRBC 输血的 VLBW 婴儿（n=80）被纳入研究。在输血前/后血液样本和 pRBC 单位中均测定了红细胞重金属水平。pRBC 中的平均铅和汞含量分别为 16.3±10.8 和 3.75±3.23μg/L。在这些婴儿中，69.7%接受的铅含量超过参考剂量。输血后红细胞铅水平显著升高（10.6±10.3 vs. 13±8.5，p<0.05），与 pRBC 内的铅含量呈显著相关（r=0.28）。输血前后红细胞汞水平的平均差异为 3.28±3.08 和 3.5±2.83μg/L（p>0.05）。输血后汞水平的平均差异与 pRBC 输送的汞量之间存在显著相关性（r=0.28）。通过 pRBC 输血，婴儿可能会接触到高水平的铅和汞。
